The Fram was cruising some way out, but when we came near enough for them to see us, they made all haste to come in to the ice-foot.  Yes, there lay our good little ship, as trim as when we had last seen her; the long voyage round the world had left no mark on her strong hull.  Along the bulwarks appeared a row of smiling faces, which we were able to recognize in spite of the big beards that half concealed many of them.  While clean-shaven chins had been the fashion at Framheim, almost every man on board appeared with a flowing beard.  As we came over the gangway questions began to hail upon us.  I had to ask for a moment’s grace to give the captain and crew a hearty shake of the hand, and then I collected them all about me and gave a short account of the most important events of the past year.  When this was done, Captain Nilsen pulled me into the chart-house, where we had a talk that lasted till about four the next morning —­ to both of us certainly one of the most interesting we have ever had.  On Nilsen’s asking about the prospects of the southern party, I ventured to assure him that in all probability we should have our Chief and his companions back in a few days with the Pole in their pockets.

Our letters from home brought nothing but good news.  What interested us most in the newspapers was, of course, the account of how the expedition’s change of route had been received.

At 8 a.m. we left the Fram and returned home.  For the next few days we were occupied with the work of surveying and charting, which went comparatively quickly in the favourable weather.  When we returned after our day’s work on the afternoon of the 17th, we found Lieutenant Gjertsen back at the hut.  He asked us if we could guess the news, and as we had no answer ready, he told us that the ship of the Japanese expedition had arrived.  We hurriedly got out the cinematograph apparatus and the camera, and went off as fast as the dogs could go, since Gjertsen thought this visit would not be of long duration.

When we caught sight of the Fram she had her flag up, and just beyond the nearest cape lay the Kainan Maru, with the ensign of the Rising Sun at the peak.  Banzai!  We had come in time.  Although it was rather late in the evening, Nilsen and I decided to pay her a visit, and if possible to see the leader of the expedition.  We were received at the gangway by a young, smiling fellow, who beamed still more when I produced the only Japanese word I knew:  Oheio —­ Good-day.  There the conversation came to a full stop, but soon a number of the inquisitive sons of Nippon came up, and some of them understood a little English.  We did not get very far, however.  We found out that the Kainan Maru had been on a cruise in the direction of King Edward VII.  Land; but we could not ascertain whether any landing had been attempted or not.